The original question:
From: "David Wright" <Wright_at_mc.edu>
If any of you have some experiences (positive or negative) to share with
using Choice Reviews online, I would like to know. We are switching over
in January and are wondering how to actively engage faculty in the use of
the online product. We have used Choice cards for years and at least we
assumed those were being routed to people within departments.
Thanks.
David A. Wright
Library Director
Leland Speed Library/Mississippi College
==#1
From: Tom Izbicki <izbicki_at_jhu.edu>
My colleagues did not use the online version often enough to retain the
subscription.
Tom Izbicki
===#2
From: Jo Bell Whitlatch <jwhitlat_at_email.sjsu.edu>
We subscribe to Choice Reviews Online and have for a couple of years. I
think it is terrific, easy to search, and useful not only for current
materials, but when you want to acquire the last five years of basic
materials to support a new course in the curriculum. You can also sign up
for an alert service to receive lists of reviews in certain areas, which
is fine as long as you do not get too carried away. I have used it mostly
for History collection development.
Jo Bell Whitlatch
San Jose State University Library
San Jose CA 95192-0028
FAX: 408-924-2701
Email: jwhitlat_at_email.sjsu.edu
Phone: 408-924-2742
===#3
From: "Linwood DeLong" <linwood.delong_at_uwinnipeg.ca>
We are using ChoiceReviews Online but have not cancelled our
print subscription. Many people, myself included, like to be
able to make annotations on the cards, and don't want to print out
the revie ws each time. It is, however, useful to be able to search
the Choice database for reviews of a specific publication. Some faculty
like to receive book reviews electronically; many do not.
Linwood DeLong
Collections Coordinator
University of Winnipeg Library
515 Portage Ave.
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
===#4
From: "Snead, Barbara" <bsnead_at_goucher.edu>
We've subscribed to Choice Reviews Online since last April. Several
faculty have expressed appreciation for it, but all who signed up for
passwords have asked that we continue sending the cards to them, usually
to route to other colleagues in their departments.
We on the library staff are the heaviest users; we've set up an email
account with a generic name to which orders can be sent (rather than use
the personal email of the acquisitions coordinator). Faculty submission
of orders from Choice via email has been very low, but some faculty do
apparently like it. I would not drop it (and the 20 passwords are
included in the basic price), but we won't drop the cards, either.
What I especially like about it, for collection development purposes, is
the ability to retrieve books by topical categories not available on the
cards, such as Native American studies or Women's studies. For projects
involving retrospective purchasing in a subject area, one can search by
subject or topical words and add the qualifier "Outstanding books". I
also like to search for reviews while checking a publisher's sale
catalog.
Earlier this term, I offered a noontime session on using this service.
The turnout was slight, but several faculty asked for copies of my
handouts. My PowerPoint presentation is available at:
http://www.goucher.edu/library/av/barbara_files/error.htm . Feel free to
contact me with any questions.
Barbara Snead
Collection Management Librarian
Julia Rogers Library
Goucher College
1021 Dulaney Valley Road
Baltimore, MD 21204
phone: 410-337-6366
fax: 410-337-6419
bsnead_at_goucher.edu
Received on Tue Dec 11 2001 - 11:46:30 EST